Bengaluru, March 3 The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will play five of their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here, and the remaining two matches at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, during the upcoming IPL, the franchise announced on Tuesday.
This announcement ended any doubts about whether the winners of IPL 2025 would be able to play at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, following the stampede that killed 11 fans after RCB's maiden title win.
Since that tragic incident, the venue has not hosted any major domestic matches, including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, or even the KSCA T20 Maharaja Trophy.
"This significant development comes after months of hard work and close coordination across all concerned authorities with a common goal of bringing the games back to the home ground for the fans," RCB said in a statement.
"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association, and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation, and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru," the franchise added.
"The collective efforts to enhance infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games at their home ground," the franchise added.
The franchise stated that the two "home matches" in Raipur would be held "as per prior commitment."
RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said that the fans deserve to watch their team compete at home.
"The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground; it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive," he said.
"The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home," he added.
"After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible," Menon concluded.
